Coin-actuated liquid-dispensing machine



A. MIDDLETON com AcTuATEp LIQUID DISPENSING MACHINE May 24 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug May 24. 1927.

* 1,630,203 A. MIDDLETON COIN ACTUATED LIQUID DISPENSING MACHINE Filed Ana. 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented May 192 7. a I

VVUNITED STATES v i 7 1,630,203 PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED MIDDLETON, or LAVENDER BAY, NEAR SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES,

' AUSTRALIA. I a

cornacrunrnn mourn-msrnnsme MACHINE.

Application filed Au ust a, 1924, Serial No.

This invention hasbeen specially devised in order to provide an improved c01nactuated liquid dispensing machine of simple,

effective and sanitary construction adapted for ready and effective cleansing and in which a supply of liquid is stored and may be kept'at an even low or high temperature and be dispensed or discharged in predetely mined quantities by an'operable lever actuated" by application of a coin thereto and whichmachine is specially suitable for use at schools and in buildings such' as offices, factories and flats for dispensing milk in small quantities. e

Briefly described, the invention comprises an insulated outer chest having a recessor compartment therein for the reception of a receptacle or drinking cup; a separate container or tank adapted to be: placed in the outer chest and having a measuring chaim ber; a plate or bracket borne by-the tank and'supporting the actuating mechanism; and means observable fromthe exterior of i the chest for indicating the amount of dise r pensable liquid remaining in thetank.

Other features of the invention, more or less ancillary to the foregoing, will'be apparent as the description proceeds.

\ And in order that the invention and a practical application thereof will be readily undestood the same will now be described with reference to the accompanying draw-v ings inxwhichz Figure 1" s a perspective view of thecomplete machlne ready for use,

-Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the chest showing the disposition of the recess 01-well V and 43 a double faced valve 46 vhaving a in the bottom, I I

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the plane-3-3 in Figure 1, i Q Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the container or tank diametrically of: the measuring chamber and looking to the far side whereon is'aflixed the actuating mechanism,

Figure 5 is plate and actuating mechanism thereon as moved outwardly from the far side of the container, a

Figure 6 is a partial sectional planon the line 6 6 in Figure 4 showing the disposi tion of the measuring chamber, and I V Figure 7 is a partial plan of the supporting bracket, brake and actuating lever.

" hechest consists of box 11 upon legs 12 an elevation of the supporting.

supporting plate or bracket 51. p on an axle or trunnion 52 onlsaid plate 51 730,338, and in Australia August 29, 1923.

rem'ovably securable about said'bottom i The liquid container or tank carrying the measuring and'actnating mechanism is removably housed in the chest and consists of container or tank 26 carrying hinged llftlllg loops 27'and -having,access opening 28 in thetop with closure 29 therefor carrying an arm 30 hinged exterior-1y" as'at 31 within a hous ng 32 on said closure and movable in slots 33through' said honsing32 and closure 34and on its imier end ablade'or pad- '29" and having on "its. outer end a handle die 35 with which to agitate the contents of the tank. 1 n the bottom of the tank is affixed an outlet junction 36 to which is removably secured the measuring and valve chamber consisting of wall 37,'top 38, through pipe 39with lower end formed as a valve seat, 4O, and a removable bottom41'having discharge pipe 42 therefrom with upper end formed as valve seat 43 and on its lower end a removable angu lar directing and protecting.{spout 44.

Within the chamber and about the pipe 39 are annular hollow floats 45 of varying displacements and between the valve seats 40 shortshank on the upper face and from. the lower face guide legs 47 in'said pipe 42 and being adapted to seat upon either of the valve seats 40 and 43. Said valve 46 is connected by a chain 48 to the rod 49, which extends up through the pipe 39, the tank 26 andqthe to 1 thereof and carries adjusting nut 50, ecured by suitable lugs and brackets to one side of the tank 26 and to the top of the measuring chamber is the Fulcrumed is the actuating lever having on its short end 53 an adjusting balance weight 54 and near the fulcrum a lug 55 through and to which the end of the rod 49 is connected by nut 50, by which the operable length is regulated so that the valve will be pulled upon the upper seat 40 at the termination of ascent of the short end of the actuating lever the chain 48 allowing for variations in distances between the said end of-the lever and the upper and lower positions-of the valve 46. On the long end 56 of the lever is a counterbalanced pivoted coin tray 57 to receive a coin 58 directed thereinto through a chute 59 to actuate the lever and in the path of the light end of the tray 57 is a counterweightedand upwardly checked trip 60 pivoted in a slotted bracket 61. On said plate 51 is a stop 62 to limitthe upward traverse of the long end 56 of the lever and on a trunnion 63 is a brake tumbler 64E counterbalanced as at 65 and having short and long lateral abutments or projections-.66 and 67 and on the upper edge of said lever is a lateral abutment 68 to be struck by the short projection 66 of the brake 6st. i v A glass pipe 69 is connected to the measuringchamber through orifice 70 therein and is led up the outside of the, tank 26 and into the side or topithereot sothat a user may observe'through the sight slot l8 in the chest Whether-there is any liquid in the machine before passing a coin thereinto and so that air passing to or from the measuring cham ber willibe from or into the tank} and not to. or from the atmosphere andf'so prevent contamination.

In use the chest is opened, the tank 26 positioned therein, the actuating lever then being in its raised position and the valve 46 of the measuring chamber being upon the'loiver seat-43 and the floats 45,-resting upon said valve. Liquid is then supplied to thetank through its filling orifice 28, same is closed by closure 29 and the chest isclosed and locked. Liquid 'tlo'ws through the pipe 39 into and fills the measuring chamber and raises the floats 45 thus freeing the valve 4650 that upon a coin 58 being passed into the machine through the chute 59 'it slides into the coin tra 57 upon the long end '56 of the lever and-the added Weight causes said end to descend and as it approaches the'limitof it-sdescent its lower edge strikes the long projection 67 of the brake 64 causing the brake to rotate against the action of its weight 65 until the short projection 66 strikes the then up'per'side of the lever projection 68 in order :to check any rebound of said lever. Asthe other. end 53 of said lever ascends the rod 49 and chain 48lift the valve 46 from the lower seat 43 against the upper seat 40 thus permitting liquid in the measuring chamber to discharge therefrom through the discharge pipe 41-2 spout 4st and the funnel :ZO-into a receptacle 71 placed under said tunnel 20 and in the tray 24in the discharge enclosure 21. \Vhile the shortend 53 of=tlielever is raised the into said chamber.-

valve 46 is held with its shank in the pipe 39 and its upper face upon the upper seat 40 thus closing the pipe 39 and preventing further liquid from the tank 26 flowing scend and move the valve 46 towards the "loivcr'seatell-l the "ii e 2-39 remainin )ractically closed until just before the valve reaches said seat, and descends the short end '53 01" the lever \vhose other end 56 is partially raised causing the coin tray 5. to pass the trip 60 and be tilted so that the coin 58 will be dislodged therefrom when the lever being t'reed of the added weight of the coin rises to normal position and alloivs the valve -l6 to close upon the lower seat 43 the pipe 39 remaining practically closed by the shank of the valve -16 to prevent liquid entering the measuring chamber until the lower face of said valve reaches the seat 4 3. The chamber then refills with liquidand the operation may be repeated until the supply of liquid is exhausted which fact is ascertainable by inspection through the observation slot 18 of the pipe 69.

The bottom 41 of the measuring chamber, the rod 49 and the valve 46 being removable provide for thorough cleansing also for the interchange of different sizes of floats l5 quantity'of liquid to be supoperation of the machine. is

by which the plied at each regulated.

I claim 1. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a chest having a pair of superimposed conr partments separated by a substantially horizontally disposed partition having a central opening therethrough, a measuring chamber disposedin the upper compartment and having-a valve poitdisposed substantially centrally above the said central opening, and a conduit leading laterally from the bottom of the valve portbeyond the said central opening so as to form a ballle for preventing the said port discharging directly into the said central opening.

2. In a liquid dispensing apparatus a tank having a discharge openingin its bottom; a hollow annulus disposed underneath the tank and having a central vertical through passage leading downward from the said discharge open-ing, and an annular chamber closed at the top and open at the bottom; a removable cover for the open bottom of the annulus having a central discharge open ing dis )osed concentrically with relation to the saic through passage, the lower end of the said passage being spaced from the said cover; a double-faced valve adapted to close alternately the lower end ot the said passage and the discharge opening in the said cover and being, also, provided with a laterally extendedfiange; a float in the annular chamber adapted to reston the said Asthe liquid discharges "from the chamber the floats 45 therein deflange 5 and valve lifting means rising from is empty so that the valve closes the outlet 10 the saldvalve and through the said central port, means for lifting the valve to close passage into the said tank. the inlet port and open the outlet port, and

3. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a means for arresting the descent of the valve holding tank, a measuring chamber having after it has been lifted until the said float superimposed upper inlet and lower outlet bears on the said Valve. 15 ports, a valve intermediary of said ports and Dated this thlrd day of July, one thousand adapted for closing either one, a float adaptnine hundred and twenty-four.

ed to rest on the valve when the chamber ALFRED MIDDLETON. 

